Do you obey even when confused?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

And Samuel said, “Hath the Lord as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices as in obeying the voice of the Lord? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.” 1 Samuel 15:22 

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

I read an interesting story about Stephen Grellet, a pioneer evangelist to the lumbermen in the Rocky Mountains. He felt the Spirit of God leading him to a particular lumber camp to preach. When he got there, the place was absolutely deserted. He said, “Lord, I don’t understand, but I'm going to be obedient.”  So he opened his Bible without a soul in sight and preached a full-length message. Then he plead for people to come to Christ. He said, “Lord, I don’t know what that was all about, but Lord, I was obedient.”  Years later, a man walked up to him in England and said, “I was the foreman at a lumber camp in the Rockies. I had come back to the camp to get an ax, and I heard you preaching. I stood behind a pile of lumber and listened. As you preached, my heart was strangely warmed, and I repented of my sin and gave my heart to Jesus Christ. I later witnessed to four other men. Now, all five of us are missionaries preaching around the world.”  

How important it is that we obey completely in small things!

ACTION POINT:

Do you know why many of us are not obeying God more than we are? Because we're not hearing what God is saying. We're not spending time listening to God. That's the importance of a quiet time, that's the importance of getting somewhere alone with God in a nook with this book, reading and listening.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

We Experience the Spirit Through Faith

Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith? (Galatians 3:5)

Every Christian is indwelt by the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul said, “Anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him” (Romans 8:9). The Spirit came to you the first time when you believed in the blood-bought promises of God. And the Spirit keeps on coming, and keeps on working, by this same means.

So Paul asks, rhetorically in Galatians 3:5, “Does he who supplies the Spirit to you and works miracles among you do so by works of the law, or by hearing with faith?” Answer: “By hearing with faith.”

Therefore, the Spirit came the first time, and the Spirit keeps on being supplied, through the channel of faith. Whatever he accomplishes in and through us is by faith.

If you are like me, you may have strong longings from time to time for the mighty working of the Holy Spirit in your life. Perhaps you cry out to God for the outpouring of the Spirit in your life or in your family or church or city. Such cries are right and good. Jesus said, “How much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13).

But what I have found most often in my own life is the failure to open myself to the full measure of the Spirit’s work by believing the specific promises of God. I don’t mean merely the promise that the Spirit will come when we ask. I mean all the other precious promises that are not directly about the Spirit but, perhaps, about God’s provision for my future — for example, “My God will supply every need of yours” (Philippians 4:19). God’s Spirit is supplied in an ongoing and powerful way precisely through specific acts of faith in specific promises for specific situations. Do I trust him right now to do what he has promised to do?

This is what is missing in the experience of so many Christians as they seek the power of the Spirit in their lives. The Spirit is supplied to us “by hearing with faith” (Galatians 3:5) — not just faith in one or two promises about the Spirit himself, but about all the soul-satisfying presence of God in our future to do for us, and be for us, whatever we need.

John Piper 

Do you pray for the glory of God?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

Now therefore, O our God, hear the prayer of Thy servant, and his supplications, and cause Thy face to shine upon Thy sanctuary that is desolate, for the Lord's sake. O my God, incline Thine ear, and hear; open Thine eyes, and behold our desolations, and the city which is called by Thy name: for we do not present our supplications before Thee for our righteousness, but for Thy great mercies. O Lord, hear; O Lord, forgive; O Lord, hearken and do; defer not, for Thine own sake, O my God: for Thy city and Thy people are called by Thy name. Daniel 9:17-19

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

Daniel is saying, “O God, please forgive us.  Remove the guilt.”  He’s also praying for the restoration of glory. Notice his motivation: “for the Lord’s sake.” 

Do you know what so many of us are praying for? For America’s sake, our denomination’s sake, our church’s sake, or even our family’s sake. That won’t get it done. But Daniel is praying for not only the removal of guilt but the restoration of glory (v. 18). When we get concerned for the glory of God, then we’re going to see our prayers answered. So many times we’re just simply trying to get out of difficulty. Do you pray for the glory of God? 

Do you know what most of us want?  We want revival so we can return to our own old, comfy ways, once God gets us out of the difficulty we’re in. Do you have a burning, yearning in your heart for the glory of God?  Do you want to see God’s glory spread over this land? I want to see God do something once again that cannot be explained by the pundits and news anchors on TV.

ACTION POINT:

When we pray for God’s glory, we’ll see our prayers answered.

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Do you pray confidently?

BIBLE MEDITATION:

To the Lord our God belong mercies and forgiveness, though we have rebelled against Him. Daniel 9:9

DEVOTIONAL THOUGHT:

The closer we get to God, the more we realize how insignificant and how sinful we are. This is not a time for finger-pointing in our nation. This is a time for repentance of personal sin. I’m talking about repentance among God’s people.

Daniel is talking about God’s greatness, power, righteousness, and mercy. That is the basis for our prayer. Isn’t it wonderful that “to God belong mercies and forgiveness”? It is impossible to see who our great God is in a time of crisis and not want to pray. We can pray with confidence for this very reason.

It is prayer time in America. It is time for all people who know our God, whomever they may be, to seek the face of God in prayer. I believe that with all my heart. We need to set ourselves in prayer.

ACTION POINT:

We need to pray, “God, cleanse us, restore us, revive us, renew us, refresh us.  We need revival in America. Remove our guilt.”

LWF Dr. Adrian Rogers 

Proud Works vs. Humble Faith

“On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’” (Matthew 7:22)

Consider the difference between a heart of “faith” and a heart of “works.”

The heart of works gets satisfaction from the ego-boost of accomplishing something in its own power. It will attempt to scale a vertical rock face, or take on extra responsibilities at work, or risk life in a combat zone, or agonize through a marathon, or perform religious fasting for weeks — all for the satisfaction of conquering a challenge by the force of its own will and the stamina of its own body.

The heart with a works-orientation may also go in another direction and express its love of independence and self-direction and self-achievement by rebelling against courtesy and decency and morality (Galatians 5:19–21). But it’s the same self-determining, self-exalting works-orientation — whether it is being immoral or mounting a crusade against immoral behavior. The common denominator is self-direction, self-reliance, and self-exaltation. In all of this, the basic satisfaction of the works-orientation is the savor of being an assertive, autonomous, and, if possible, triumphant self.

The heart of faith is radically different. Its desires are no less strong as it looks to the future. But what it desires is the fullest satisfaction of experiencing all that God is for us in Jesus.

If “works” wants the satisfaction of feeling itself overcome an obstacle, “faith” savors the satisfaction of feeling God overcome an obstacle. Works longs for the joy of being glorified as capable, strong, and smart. Faith longs for the joy of seeing God glorified for his capability and strength and wisdom and grace.

In its religious form, works accepts the challenge of morality, conquers its obstacles through great exertion, and offers the victory to God as a payment for his approval and recompense. Faith, too, accepts the challenge of morality, but only as an occasion to become the instrument of God’s power. And when the victory comes, faith rejoices that all the glory and thanks belong to God.

John Piper 

Prayer Is More Than Just Words

Praying is more than just words, prayers are filled with deep heart wrenching calls for mercy. 

The words of prayers seemed to be torn from you, they hurt as they come forth, almost as if they are a part of you that's leaving your soul.

Prayers give hope when there seems to be none.

That is why we pray for those who are sick, those who are dying, those that are lost and headed for eternal destruction or those who are in dire circumstances.

As Christians, we pray because God hears.

However, His ways are not our ways.

We can't know His purpose or plans.

No one or no thing prevents Him from fulfilling the plans He has made!

We only know that He is merciful!

Give ear to my prayer, O God, and hide not yourself from my plea for mercy!  - Psalm 55:1

Rejoice in hope, be patient in tribulation, be constant in prayer. - Romans 12:12

7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence.

8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered.

9 And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him, - Hebrews 5:7-9

13 Is anyone among you suffering? Let him pray. Is anyone cheerful? Let him sing praise.

14 Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord.

15 And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.

16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

17 Elijah was a man with a nature like ours, and he prayed fervently that it might not rain, and for three years and six months it did not rain on the earth.

18 Then he prayed again, and heaven gave rain, and the earth bore its fruit.

19 My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back,

20 let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins. - James 5:13-20

So everyday prayer earnestly for yourself and others!

Not empty repeated words but those that You rip from yourself in search of mercy.

Pleading to a God who is able!!!

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father,

15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named,

16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being,

17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith-that you, being rooted and grounded in love,

18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth,

19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us,

21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. - Ephesians 3:14-21

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,

25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. - Jude 1:24-25

Complete Satisfaction

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, O LORD! 

2 O Lord, hear my voice! Let your ears be attentive to the voice of my pleas for mercy! 

3 If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand? 

4 But with you there is forgiveness, that you may be feared.  - Psalm 130:1-4

Enter not into judgment with your servant, for no one living is righteous before you.  - Psalm 143:2

14 If I sin, you watch me and do not acquit me of my iniquity. 

15 If I am guilty, woe to me! If I am in the right, I cannot lift up my head, for I am filled with disgrace and look on my affliction.  - Job 10:14-15

for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?" - Revelation 6:17

There is a satisfaction that can't be humanly explained. 

It is supernatural! 

It goes beyond what man can comprehend.

We just can't fathom it cause we don't have the capacity.

It's peace in the midst of total chaos, whether it's a physical disaster or a mental one.   

This peace comes from a God who is able!

Christ has conquered!

It is in the stillness of the moment when you realize that it's Christ alone!

Praise Him!

Glorify Him!

What a debt we can never satisfy! 

Refine us Oh Lord.

We praise and glorify You.

Forgive according to Your mercy.

When our throat closes up from the fear of the sting of sin, let us see You.

When we see the suffering of Your people, let us pray to You alone.

You alone are able. 

Let's shout it from the rooftop. 

Amen

For I will satisfy the weary soul, and every languishing soul I will replenish." - Jeremiah 31:25

23 Sing to the LORD, all the earth! Tell of his salvation from day to day. 

24 Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! 

25 For great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised, and he is to be feared above all gods. 

26 For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the LORD made the heavens. 

27 Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and joy are in his place.  - 1 Chronicles 16:23-27